Member Training Guide Baby Step 6 – Send Out Your Books To Get Your First Listing

I’ve tested out dozens of different strategies for getting listings. And after years of testing and tweaking, here is the best strategy I have found. It’s called “Warm Calling.” Let me explain what it is.

I recommend using a method called warm calling.

Warm calling is when you send out a copy of your book and then follow up on the phone or at their door about four to five days later.

We’ve seen tremendous results from warm calling.

Here’s why it’s so much better than cold calling:

First off, you’re not going to get the same amount of rejection that you typically get when you cold call.

Why not?

They’ve got your book in their hands, they’ve seen your face, they’ve seen your name, and they’ve been introduced to what you’re all about.

It’s not very often that someone mails or gives someone a copy of a book that they wrote. So, you’ve already got that working in your favor.

Very often, people have already read through the books and know about our agents when by the time they get those follow-up calls.

Right here in Jacksonville, an agent that we worked with gave away 10 books. Out of those 10 books, one seller called him back right away and said, “Hey, come out. I’d like to talk to you about having you help me sell my house.”

He also followed up on those remaining books and landed two more appointments.

That’s a 20% conversion rate without a ton of effort.

The books pre-sell the recipient on you. Even if your leads don’t read the books — or they just skim through them — chances are they’re going to remember your name.

Just the action of finding a place for your book in their home will make an impression. If you give someone a copy of your business card, they probably won’t even give it a second look and might even throw it out.

The books make you look like an expert. Who wouldn’t want to work with a realtor who literally wrote the book on selling a house?

Send Your Books To Your Leads.

Use the “warm calling” strategy. Send your book first and then follow up with a phone call.

We have two book packages that you can send to sellers.

Simple & Easy Book Package.

Advanced Book Package.

There are two different ways you can get the package in the seller’s hands:

Drop Off Package.

Mailed Package.

Let’s start with your different options for getting your package in the seller’s hands.

The Mailed Package. Insert your book and the package contents inside a Bubble Mailer. Once you’ve got your books packed up, go to the post office, buy stamps and mail them to your leads.

Here’s an example of the book being put into a Bubble Mailer.

Here’s an example of the book being mailed in a Bubble Mailer.

It costs about $2.85 in postage to mail the book in this Bubble Package.

If you want to drop your book off on the seller’s door, then put it in into a Ziploc Bag and lean it up against the front door.

Here’s an example of the book inside a Ziploc Bag left at the door:

Now that I’ve shown you how to get the package in the seller’s hands, let’s look at the different package options.

The Simple & Easy Book Package.

I’m not a big believer in complicated things. So, here’s what I do for my book package. I just print out a cover letter that explains why I am sending them the book. Then, I insert it inside the book – almost like a page saver. Then, I send that out. It’s worked very well.

If you want to, then you can add a bunch of additional marketing material to your book packages. Some agents like to add their Marketing Plan, Testimonials, a Marketing Comparison Chart, Reference Letters, etc. They start with the Cover Letters for the simple package and then add that material to it.

Remember, this is completely optional. But, if you want to do it, then the links to all the additional marketing material is below.

Here is an example of the Advanced Book Package.

Optional Marketing Material For Your Book Package

These are additional pieces of marketing material you can add to your book package. Much of it will be applicable on a case by case scenario. Modify the documents to match what you do and they way you do business. You can insert the documents in your book package – before or after your book.

Agent Comparison Chart
Use this chart to compare what you do versus what the average agent will do to market a home. You can modify this chart in Word.

Marketing Plan
Use this sample marketing plan to illustrate what you offer and how you market homes you list. Feel free to modify this to match what you will do to market your customer’s home.

Reference Letters
Add testimonials and references from customers and colleagues to this document.

Photo Brochure
Our agents use have used this photo brochure when they mail or drop off a book package to leads. They print it on a hard stock 11 x 17 piece of paper that was folded in half. They used this to prove that they are going to advertise the home better than other agents.

What If You Don’t Have Enough Books To Send To All Of Your Leads?

In that case, before you send out your books, call the Old Expireds and ask if they want to sell. If they want to sell, then send them your book. If not, then move onto the next leads.